The Post Interview Thank You Note

The expert of American etiquette Emily Post said, “etiquette is the science of living.”  Good manners can set you apart in a job interview, but there is still work to do after the interview has been completed. Many potential employees do not know about the value of the post interview thank you note. In the post Covid world that we are working in now, many employers are still working remotely.  In person interviews are also a rarity these days with most interviews being conducted remotely.  However, a well thought out email can easily take the place of a traditional handwritten thank you note. A thank you note can set you apart from your competitors as many Human Resources professionals are depending on post interview correspondence to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the position they are attempting to fill.

For many months we have been patiently awaiting 2021, but now that it is here most have come to the realization that it still may be many months if not years before there is a return to normalcy. That is why little things will count more than ever in the interview process. A simple thank you note may be your ticket to your dream job. You can prepare for your correspondence in advance by making sure that during the interview process you get the correct spelling and correct email address of the interviewer. After the interview make sure that your thank you note is sent in a timely manner within the first 24 to 48 hours.

When crafting your thank you note, begin with thanking the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. Make sure that you reiterate your interest in the position while also taking the time to add something new. By now you have had time to think about the position and it’s qualifications. Determine if there is a skill that you have forgotten to highlight in the interview. Also, the thank you note is a good way to refresh the memory of the interviewer.

There are many good templates for thank you notes that are available online; however, a word of caution, make sure to use them for reference only. The thank you note needs to sound like the same person that interviewed. Also, thank you notes need to be specific to the interview, so resist using a one size fits all generic one. A well written, timely thank you note might just be the post interview push that you need to get the position you are looking for.